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Capital Projects Sales Tax Referendum

When voters go to the polls on November 6, the following County Sales and Use Tax (Capital Projects Sales Tax Act) Referendum will be on the ballot, If the referendum passes, the items listed on the ballot will benefit from the one cent on the dollar sales tax of projected revenue for the next eight years. This tax is a fair way to create revenue for much-needed county pro-jects, Property owners currently bear the bulk of tax responsibility. Over the eight years, a one-cent tax will generate almost $9 million. Increasingly, counties are using CPST revenue to supplement property taxes and state revenue shortfalls. Over the next few weeks, you will see flyers and signs about the referendum, and a public meeting will be held prior to November 6 for questions and answers. Additionally, the list must be voted in as a whole. If the referendum passes, Saluda County will have the opportunity to make positive changes! Please, support this referendum! Thank you! Marvin Gootee Committee memberLocal QuestionsCOUNTY SALESAND USE TAX Shall a special one percent sales and use tax be imposed in Saluda County for not more than eight (8) years, beginning on the May 1, 2019, to raise the revenues which will be applied to pay directly the cost of or to pay debt service on bonds issued to defray the cost of certain capital improvements set forth below for the County and shall the County be empowered to issue, either at one time as a single issue or from time to time as several separate issues, general obligation bonds of the County in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $9,400,000, to be repayable solely from the sales tax or other available sources, the proceeds of which shall be used to defray the costs of the capital improvement needs of the County, including specifically the following purposes, listed in order of priority with estimated cost: Projects: 1. Saluda County Library (Saluda County) $125,000 2. Saluda County Animal Shelter (Saluda County) $125,000 3. Ridge Spring Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development $175,000 (Town of Ridge Spring) 4. Reconstruction of Bathrooms at Brooks Royston Park (Saluda Recreation District) $50,000 5. Saluda County Detention Center (Saluda County) $8,434,304 CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF THE SALES AND USE TAX REVENUE COLLECTED UNDER THE CAPITAL PROJECTS SALES TAX ACT: The capital projects sales and use tax shall be used and expended for procurement, design, engineering, construction or improvement or similar type uses of the projects listed above. Net proceeds of the sales and use tax must be expended for the purposes stated, with some of the projects listed above expected to be funded simultaneously. The completion of the above projects funded by the sales and use tax is subject to acquisition of property and right-of-way, design and engineering considerations. Funding of projects from other sources, bids in excess of project estimates, qualifications of bidders, cost overruns, financing costs, exhaustion of net sales and use tax revenues prior to the completion of the projects stated above and other unforeseen circumstances and conditions, which, if any of these circumstances are encountered, the County Council reserves the right to make adjustments to the priority of the projects as originally submitted by the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission. INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS. All qualified electors desiring to vote in favor of imposing the tax for the stated purposes shall vote “YES.” All qualified electors opposed to levying the tax shall vote “NO”. o Yeso No

The Thrill of the Hunt Saluda’s 2nd Annual Extravaganza Expo

Most, if not everyone, have watched or at least has heard of the television shows Antiques Roadshow and American Pickers. Although collecting has always been a hobby for some, these, as well as other similar shows, have increased the popularity of collecting and picking for individuals across the United States. Everyone either collects something or they know someone who does. Everyone has their own story behind why they collect what they do. Often collections connect people to a period or time that they feel strongly about. This is why many collect nostalgic items that remind them of and allow them to relive their childhood. For example, at last year’s Extravaganza Expo, there was a man who purchased a farm bell because it reminded him of the special times that he spent at his grandparents when he was growing up. There was also a woman who was at the Expo who was looking for a Tip Cola bottle because she remembered enjoying these drinks back in the 1940s, and this bottle she was searching for had to have “Edgefield, SC” on it because that was her home town. Others collect items that indicate a specific interest. Vintage duck decoys were among some of the favorite Expo purchases last year of a young couple who were decorating their first home with hunting décor. You name it; someone collects it: old toys, cast iron, antique and vintage furniture, vintage tools, head vases, old bottles, pottery, primitives, vintage bicycles, gas and oil memorabilia, advertising signs, and the list goes on. Often collecting is a quest, a lifelong pursuit of these types of items the collector is passionate about. Not only do collectors enjoy the hunt for their passion, they also relish good conversation with life-long collectors as well as those just thinking about starting a collection. These conversations include talk about what they collect or want to collect, the best places to go to hunt for additions to their collections, their most prized piece in their collection, and even the one that got away. It doesn’t matter what you are passionate about, what your collections consist of, or if you just want to find something special for your home or man cave, you are sure to have good conversation with other lookers, shoppers, collectors, and vendors both local and even states away, while experiencing the thrill of the hunt at the 2nd annual Extravaganza Expo at Saluda Pickers. This year’s Expo will take place October 19–20 at 605 Johnston Hwy, Saluda.